Democrat Sorry For Saying 'Slavishly'

Rep. Steny Hoyer Used Racially-Charged Word Referencing Black Senate Candidate

(CBS/AP)  Maryland Congressman Steny Hoyer has apologized for a poor choice of words during a political rally with Democratic Senate candidate Ben Cardin on Sunday in Upper Marlboro.

As reported by MSNBC Tuesday, Hoyer criticized Cardin's Republican opponent Michael Steele for what Hoyer called-- quote -- "a career of slavishly supporting the Republican Party."

Steele is black, and yesterday called the description racist and "the height of arrogance."

"It goes to just the sheer craziness of some in the Democratic Party who think they can use racist terms and infer things about me just because I'm an African American Republican," Steele said, reports The Washington Post.

The head of the National Black Church Initiative, the Reverend Anthony Evans, also condemned the remark.

Hoyer is the Number Two Democrat in the House of Representatives. In a statement yesterday, he said he should not have used the description. He added that if Steele did take offense, none was intended.

Steele began running a TV ad Tuesday that highlights the money Cardin has earned from drug, oil, and insurance companies despite his insistence that he is not beholden to special interests, the Baltimore Sun reports.

[wadyaknow]

Please - Steele has been in the back pocket of bush for years and I'm sure Hoyer has used that term for every other Republican. Steele is trying to make this a race about race and it isn't except for the fact that Steele is the most bigoted "white" guy I've ever heard. God does he hate gay people - especially "gay white men" as he pointed out in the Baltimore Sun in July 2002.

[peterbaldwin-2009]

Believe it or not, you can't say "*********" anymore because it rhymes with ***. All this fuss over politically incorrect words is racist because it characterizes all blacks as weak and hypersensitive and allows "sensitive" whites to be "caring' on the cheap. Call a white guy a "honkey" and he will just laugh in your face because he is "strong" and "in charge" unlike weak blacks in need of protection by the all-powerful white man.

[peterbaldwin-2009]

See. "Honkey" is not bleeped out because of white superiority and supremacy. Only the blacks need coddling by the media.

[osidebear]

It might have been a poor choice of words, but Steele's "I'm so hurt by this" reaction just makes me laugh. Anyone who has seen Steele on television, parroting the Republican talking points, could draw the same conclusion that Hoyer has.

[frankly6]

this story is one big yawwwnnnnnn

be aware that not all blacks want the coddling that some blacks depict as needed. I don't think anything the congressmen said was wrong. If steele is a republican, and to me, republicans tend to have tougher skin than democrats(this is a genralization, I know)then Steele should just let it go.

[bluestardad]

if you are behind and need don't have a real message then use the race card to try to drum up support. what is a Slavishly is that a type of fish?

[agnim]

This is funny. LOL

This is what centuries of racism has done to America; make it a laughing stock.

[jetauma]

A perfectly good word in proper context has nothing to do with black or white.There is no ground here to take offence. Unless, of course it's true and you didn't want evryone to know about it.
People of all colors have been enslaved the world over.
Maybe if Bush hadn't destroyed the education system in America...dumbing down everything...Mr. Steele would understand that.
Speaking of that, how is it that the most poorly educated President ever sets out to improve education system in the U.S.? And the majority of voters went along.

[bluestardad]

Sounds like you need some of MR. Foley's new product line. Republican "Soap on a Rope" Ideal for when you are having trouble "Staying the Course".

[osidebear]

Winstrv, you cannot be serious. To equate Allen's use of the word "macaca" and the hilariously inept way he tried to defend it with Hoyer's use of "slavishly" and the apology that followed is perhaps evidence that Mr. Steele is not the only one saddled with a propensity to follow a party line.

[jtlovely]

WOW!! I think this is very sad. This makes front news when there are people in Buffalo, NY without power from last weeks snow storm and no help from FEMA.

To refer to someone as acting like a "slave" because they voice they're support of something that's majority white is racist. However, I don't think it should be news. This is obviously politics at work.

[one_american]

A lot of Americans (of all skin colors) are moving in the direction of the Republican Party, because the Republicans are working to fix America's problems, and because the Democrats have taken their votes for granted. When the Democrats don't get the votes, they smear and insult the voters.

Small wonder the Democratic Party is crumbling.

[whatithink-2009]

To Peterbaldwin,

I don't understand the point of your post. Even if Steele was offended by the word that does not mean he speaks for an entire race. I see all the time that people defend themselves against racists by being a racist. If a black or white person says something racist, the first tendancy is to start talking about that person's entire race instead of pointing out that the person is an idiot all by him or herself.

By the way, you spelled the word H**** wrong.

[whatithink-2009]

To Janem4,

I agree that we have become extremely politically correct. But, I have to look back always to the root of it. It is still better than 50 years ago when there wasn't any political correctness and words could literally incite people to kill. I think we have to blame the ones that made political correctness necessary.

[huskerarmy]

To refer to someone as slavishly following a party line is not racist per se. To refer to someone by a slang that is historically racist in it's context is not the same thing. My wife, who is African-American, often describes GOP voters as "slaves to the party line, clones, ditto heads," etc. and she is definitely not a racist. Slaves per se have historically come in all colors. It's a matter of context. If I were refering to an African-American, sorry for the hyphen neocons, I hope that I would have the good judgement and sensitivity not to use the term. That is especially the case if I were referring to a Republican, as they so often turn a blind eye to the effects of racism... except of course when it can be used against a Democrat. Hoyer was wrong and did the right thing to applogize, and Steele should be commended for recognizing, prima facia, that racism still exists in America.

[huskerarmy]

"You know, this whole pc nonsense is getting real, real old."

The problem is that the ones who shout "PC" the loudest are the very ones who want to abandon all sensitivity and equip the majority for tyrany. Who decides what is politically correct? Is it "PC" that I don't use the "N" word or is it being just open minded?

"Maryland Democratic Senate candidate, Michael Steele". Just like Mark Foley (D-FL). He's GOP, not Dem.

[houser123]

I will support the democratic party this election cycle , but I do agree Mr. Hoyer did use a bad choice of words. Whether you support politically correctness or not, most if not all times one associates Afican Americans with slavery, you will get slammed. Poor choice or words, yes. Apology given, approve. Move on to bigger issues, absolutely. The Iraq war, terorrism, global warming, health care, immigration, jobs, economy, crime rates on the rise. These are just a few of the issues our elected officials should be working on, instead its name calling and social issues that only divide us more. Everyone who can please vote in Novmember. Your vote does count.

[whatithink-2009]

To Janem4,

To a certain extent I agree that it is easier to say something bad about Christians, but I don't agree the same about Jews.

Regardless, things happen for a reason. We might not like it, but we are all living with the sins from the past...and to a certain extent, still in the present.

[whatithink-2009]

To Houser123,

I agree. This is a smoke screen to bigger issues that should be the focus. The Foley topic was another.

[oleander8]

Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, Tenth Edition:

Slavish: of, or characteristic of a slave; basely or abjectly servile; copying obsequiously or without originality; imitative.

I think Mr Hoyer hit the nail on the head - nothing in this definition alludes to "race".

[houser123]

WhatIthink:

Thanks for agreeing. Smoke screens are coming from all sides. Would it not be GREAT if in November this country turned out a 95% voter turnout? Forget the polls, forget the bloggers and especially forget the radio blowhards, with 95% turnout, the people will have spoken and we all will know what they are saying. PLEASE VOTE....

[huskerarmy]

"To a certain extent I agree that it is easier to say something bad about Christians, but I don't agree the same about Jews."

Part of the reason the right is having such a hard time is that people hear this notion that Jews, Moslems, etc. have "special privledges," while Christianity is "under attack," and then open their eyes to see how christianity dominates the American culture and landscape. Silly claims of "reverse descrimination" abound. The GOP is loosing the battle of the (common) senses.

[nerfff]

Steny Hoyer is obviously a racist of the most abhorrent kind. What he said was disgraceful, and hHe should resign his seat immediately.

As a Democrat, I feel it is my responsiblity to fight bigotry wherever it is found, even if it's my own party.

[mstanley57]

Poor word choice, yes; racist, maybe not. Rep. Hoyer's use of 'slavishly' may point to a different origin shared by the word 'slavic', namely 'slav'. Dostoyevsky used 'slavishly'; so did the Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw and English novelist Virginia Wolff. Etymologists -word hounds - trace 'slavish' meaning 'servilely imitative' to 1565. That seems dead on Hoyer's use. At least Hoyer didn't call the Maryland Republican a 'Briton'. In Old English, 'Briton' too meant 'slave'.

[ohio21975]

I agree with Oleander8 check this link and tell me what's racist. People are so narrow minded and trying to get their feeling hurt in order to throw a "pity party" that we often forget the point.

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=slavishly

There is nothing in the definition that would indicate a racict remark.

Ants follow each other "slavishly".
The wimpy "yes man" slavishly follows the boss.

Insert thumb in mouth, close lips, blow - HARD. Get your head outta your #*$ and think.

Mr. Hoyer, I'd retract my apology, you have done nothing wrong.

Pax.

[huskerarmy]

Worthy of note:

If one had the "If you're not for us, you're against us" mentality of the right, one would slam CBS for their obvious conservative bias for publishing this story in the first place. *** conservative media...

[lindashelton]

why can't these men and women of color stop making a big deal out of color. being an American is more important. i have yet to hear any other candidate, any other American, refer to themselves as german American, russian American, french American, irish American,or hungarian American. it is not an issue. when a person is born in America, they are American. Period. it is not important where their ancestors came from except when the family gathers for traditional occasions.the race of a person is not an issue. no i did not grow up in the dark ages, i am sick of the race card showing its ugly face. it is devisive and not positive anywhere. it continues to open the door to racism from all sides. except ofcourse on the springer show when a woman claims her baby is light skinned like her former lover so she believes he is the father. oh please!
America will never be forgiven for what the europeans sold to America as a means for free labor. most of our ancestors were not here at that time but because we have white skin, we get blamed for the slavery issue. it's dead. we don't need a reminder of how things were here two hundred years ago.
we should try to ignore racial epithets coming from ignorant people and then move on. the bigger a deal is made from it the hotter the fire is.
lets bring our people home from iraq, afghanistan, and all other "peace" keeping assignment. we need peace HERE.
thank you for reading,
linda shelton
cincinnati, ohio

[ohio21975]

To follow up on Linda's post:

... There is no room in this country for hyphenated Americanism. When I refer to hyphenated Americans, I do not refer to naturalized Americans. Some of the very best Americans I have ever known were naturalized Americans, Americans born abroad. But a hyphenated American is not an American at all. This is just as true of the man who puts "native" before the hyphen as of the man who puts German or Irish or English or French before the hyphen. Americanism is a matter of the spirit and of the soul. Our allegiance must be purely to the United States. We must unsparingly condemn any man who holds any other allegiance. But if he is heartily and singly loyal to this Republic, then no matter where he was born, he is just as good an American as any one else.

Theodore Roosevelt, 26th President
Quoted from 1915!!!!

[huskerarmy]

"i have yet to hear any other candidate, any other American, refer to themselves as german American, russian American, french American, irish American,or hungarian American."

Linda, Linda, Linda,

Racism is a much bigger deal when you are on the receiving end. It's a matter of who's ox gets gored. It may seem the same but, it can be like the difference between capitol and lower case.

[huskerarmy]

"To be sure, the color line is fuzzier than it has ever been. Our airwaves frequently broadcast the lifestyles of the black and beautiful %u2013 the Oprah Winfreys, Michael Jordans, Condoleeza Rices and Colin Powells of the world. As proud as we are of African American icons it would be foolhardy to suggest that all black people share experiences with these icons. AT the other end, one in four African Americans, and forty percent of African American children live in poverty. Is racism real? No question. We commemorate Black History Month because it is an important way to recognize the many contributions African American people have made to our nation, because our nation, despite the progress it has made, still fails to systematically acknowledge black history. Until our textbooks spill over with stories of the slaves who built our nation%u2019s capital, the African American patriots who fought and died for our country, and the African American scientists whose inventions have shaped our lives, I will gleefully commemorate African American History Month. I shouldn%u2019t be the only one celebrating. African American history is American history! We hyphenated Americans are merely celebrating the hyphen that history handed us."

-JULIANNE MALVEAUX

[janemcgreeve]

So, where's Barrack Obama and Harry Belafonte? Seems the only Plantation Slaves are in the Democratic Party - just ask the clown Maupin in Arizona, the sicko girls McKinney in Georgia and Waters in California, and of course "Hymietown" Jackson and the REVEREND Al Sharpton.

They know how to shriek - especially as they grovel after Massa Byrdie.

And now this laughable guy Hoyer - from the border state of Maryland. No wonder why, despite Calypso Harry, more Intelligent Black people are voting GOP. Better a party that gave us Lincoln than one that gave us the Klan, the Jim Crow Laws, the Poll Tax and the Lynch law.

[radiob-2009]

slav7ish (slvsh)
adj.
1. Of or characteristic of a slave or slavery; servile: Her slavish devotion to her job ruled her life.
2. Showing no originality; blindly imitative: a slavish copy of the original.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[radiob-2009]

slav7ish (slvsh)
adj.
1. Of or characteristic of a slave or slavery; servile: Her slavish devotion to her job ruled her life.
2. Showing no originality; blindly imitative: a slavish copy of the original.
Disgraced former Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham parlayed his seat on the House Intelligence Committee into at least $70 million in business for two contractors who in turn paid him millions in bribes, an investigator hired by the panel has concluded.
The report sees a need for law enforcement and national security agencies to examine Cunningham's dealings with foreigners. "While our review has not identified any national security breaches resulting from the Cunningham conspiracy, we are aware of dealings that that Cunningham had with certain foreign nationals," it said.

One congressional official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the full report has yet to be released, said Stern was particularly interested in two trips Cunningham made to Saudi Arabia in 2004.
There are many ways to interpet the meaning.As in being slavish to money,corruption and greed.

[janemcgreev1]

radiob, address the subject, not your biases. The subject was and is a DEMOCRATIC RACIST. You know, just like Bobby Byrd, the Grand Kleagle of West Virginny (D-KKKW. Va.)

Okay now I know JaneMcGreeve has absolutely nothing constructive to say.

[bluestardad]

Remember to Vote Republican and get a free gift, Mr. Foley%u2019s %u201CSoap on a Rope%u201D guaranteed to help you achieve Mission Accomplished, especially made for those of you who are having trouble Staying the Course.

Special Note: This product will be discretely delivered in plain brown paper wrapping complete with plausible deniability and I do not recall disclaimer instructions.

[huskerarmy]

Jane,

Here's a test. Please try to explain, without patronizing condesention, why blacks vote overwhelmingly Democratic. Here's a clue... Blacks know where their best intersts lie. Your "fascist" and "racist" hooey is nothing more than empty projection, and anyone with half a brain can see it for what it is.

[radiob-2009]

To everyone there are certain individuals that post here that do exactly as you say,not only on this post but others also.They are provacataurs and actually do the democratic party more good than harm.They antagonize to incite anger but if you read the Washinton Post or Times article that type of rhetoric combined with the real problems this country faces is driving people to the democratic party.In the state of Kansas alone 9 republicans have switched parties and are now running quite well against the republican incumbents and challengers.People want a middle ground.They are tired of the far right and the far left.

[janemcgreev1]

bluestardad,

please wipe the spittle courtesy of your fellow democrats off that uniform. You're embarassing those who, like members of my family serve honorably and not bitterly.

and that goes for the lunatic clown radiob - he of the straightjacket fame, or the bozo who calls itself Huskerarmy - are you sure you didn't mean Hitlersarmy?

If a Republican says something insensitive, the baboons and nazi enthusiasts go ape. If a dumb dem like Hoyer or Byrd does it, they convienently hibernate. As usual clueless, dumb, and gutless.

[janemcgreev1]

Blacks unfortunately vote Democratic because despite the vicious Racism of Woodrow Wilson, because FDR did nothing when Blacks were being lynched by the score by Byrd's predecessors Bilbo and Rankin - both Dems, because Kennedy sat on his perverted duff while Blacks were being hosed down or firebombed in Birmingham, they got the notion somehow that there was a future for them in the Democratic Party.

Remember, the GOP of the early 1960s was a bastion of WASPishness. Even Jewish people felt uncomfortable back then with Republicans as they should now with the Hitlerite Democrats. It was a false notion, egged on by corrupt types like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, that Blacks had a home in the Democratic Party. Of course that meant a Barrack Obama had to sit uncomfortably close to an unreconstructed racist like Bobby Byrd.

Today however, J.C. Watts, Colin Powell, Mike Steele, even Lynn Swann the great USC footballer are bringing Black Americans back to the Party of Lincoln - where they belong - not the party of Poll Taxes, of Lynch Laws, of Hoses and Firebombs and White Sheets.

[radiob-2009]

Allen has spent weeks battling the fallout from a series of missteps that started when he used what is sometimes regarded as a racial slur against at Webb campaign staffer of Indian descent. Bush made no mention of Allen's troubles.
Another racist Jane?

[janeymcgreev]

No, racistb, that would be YOU. Hows dem white sheets these days? Don't forget to wear one when you sit down nicely next to Barrack Obama and Belafonte.

As usual the Dems lie and cry.

[radiob-2009]

Orange County Republican leaders on Thursday called for the withdrawal of a GOP congressional candidate Tan D. Nguyen suspected of sending a letter threatening Hispanic immigrant voters with arrest.

This sure sounds racist to me.